This invention relates to perfume components, mixtures thereof and perfume compositions, to personal products and detergent products containing such perfumes, and to a method and the use of such perfumes and products to deliver a deodorant effect.
In particular, it relates to perfume components, mixtures thereof, and perfume compositions for inhibiting the production of odorous metabolites by topically applying to human skin perfumery components capable of inhibiting the production of body malodour caused by micro-organisms comprising corynebacteria, preferably by selectively inhibiting those corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids.
It is well known that freshly secreted sweat is odourless and that body malodour is the result of a biotransformation of the sweat by microorganisms living on the surface of the skin to produce volatile odoriferous compounds.
There are three types of personal product routinely used to combat body malodour: perfumes, antiperspirants and deodorants.
Perfumes may simply mask body malodour. However perfume compositions have been disclosed which exhibit a deodorant action. EP-B-3172, EP-A-5618, U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,4679, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,308, U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,658, US-A-4,134,838, U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,341 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,641 all describe perfume compositions which exhibit a deodorant action when applied to human skin fit or when included in a laundry product used to launder textiles.
Antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat glands thereby reducing perspiration.
Antimicrobial agents used in deodorants are designed to reduce the population of micro-organisms living on the surface of the skin. Typical agents of this nature include ethanol and Triclosan (2,4,4xe2x80x2-trichloro-2xe2x80x2-hydroxy-diphenyl ether) which are well known to exert in antimicrobial effects. The use of common deodorant actives results in a non-selective antimicrobial action exerted upon most of the skin""s natural microflora. This is an undesirable side effect of such deodorant formulations.
Many disclosures describe compositions comprising antimicrobials which are designed to eliminate malodour by sub-lethally reducing the microflora population.
WO 95/16429 (Henkel) describes deodorant compositions comprising fat soluble partial esters of hydroxy carboxylic acids.
WO 95/07069, WO 91/11988 and WO 91/05541 (all Gillette) describe deodorant compositions comprising inhibitors of pyridoxal phosphate dependent amino acid lyase.
WO 94/14934 (Unilever) describes a method for reducing the perceptibility of an odoriferous substance using an antibody or antibody fragment. Such antibodies could be used in deodorant compositions.
WO 93/07853 (Monell) describes the use of mimics of the odoriferous compound 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid to reduce body malodour.
DD 29 39 58 (Medezinische Fakultaet (Charite) der Humboldt Universitaet zu Berlin) describes the use of lipoxygenase Inhibitors to act biochemically to reduce sweat production or to inhibit, to various degrees, the action of skin bacteria or their enzymes on the decomposition of sweat to form unpleasant-smelling substances.
DE 43 43 265 (Henkel) describes deodorant compositions comprising saturated dioic acid (C3-C10) esters. It is claimed that the active inhibits a sweat decomposing esterase and the compositions are said not to disturb the skin""s natural microflora.
DE 43 4 254 (Henkel) describes the use of lipid-soluble partial esters of hydroxy carboxylic acids in deodorant compositions.
Some disclosures describe the use of antimicrobial substances which are selective against odour producing bacteria.
WO 90/15077 (Gillette) describes the use of antibodies to a carrier or transport protein of coryneform and staphylococci. It is disclose1 that these bacteria types have an amino acid lyase enzyme which is responsible for the formation of malodour.
DE 43 39 605 (Beiersdorf) describes the use of deodorising mixtures of alpha-omega alkanedioic acids and fatty acid partial glycerides of unbranced fatty acids which may be present in a suitable cosmetic vehicle to combat Gram-positive, particularly coryneform, bacteria.
Woolwax acids have also been disclosed in the following Beiersdorf publications as deodorant actives in combination with:
alpha-omega alkanedioic acids (DE 43 24 219);
partial glycerides of unbranched fatty acids (DE 43 09 372); or
monocatboxylic acids, especially unbranched fatty acids (DE 43 05 889).
Each combination is described as suitable to combat Gram-positive, especially coryneform, bacteria.
DE 4237081 (Beiersdorf) describes deodorant compositions comprising monocarboxylic acid diglycerides and/or triglycerides. The compositions are said to be suitable against Gram-positive, especially coryneform, bacteria.
EP-A-0 697 213 (Beiersdorf) describes the selective reduction of coryneform bacteria using a mixture of:
lauric acid;
one other fatty acid C6-C20 (one of which must be at least C12);
glyceryl monocaprate/glyceryl monocaprylate;
without the use of ethoxylated glyceryl fatty acid esters and propoxylated glyceryl fatty acid esters;
which has a pH of less than B.
WO 94/07837 (Unichema) describes certain novel unsaturated dioic acids having between 8 and 22 carbon atoms. Also described is their potential use to treat malodour.
EP-A-0 750 903 (Cooperatie Cosun UA) discloses deodorant compositions comprising sugar-fatty acid esters. The actives are described as being selective towards odour causing micro-organisms. These odour-causing micro-organisms are said to be the Corynebacterium varieties known as lipophilic diphtheroids such as Corynebacterium xerosis and C. minutissimum. 
Coryneform is a designation of a large ill-defined group of bacteria. The diverse genera that have been included with the coryneforms include Actinomyces, Arachnia, Arcanobacterium, Arthrobacter, bacterionema, Bifidobacteriurn, Brevibacterium, Cellulomonas, Corynebacterium. Eyrsipelothrix, Eubacteriumr. Kurthia, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Oerskovia, Propionibacterium, Rhodococcus and Rothia.
It is clear that the majority of previous disclosures in this area have been aimed at antibacterial or bacteriostatic effects towards the whole skin flora or selected species.
Without being bound by theory we believe that the Corynebacterium genus can be subdivided into two subgroups according to ability to catabolise fatty acids. We further believe that one of these subgroups, hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cCorynebacteria Axe2x80x9d which is capable of catabolising fatty acids, contributes strongly to the formation of body malodour, in particular axillary malodour. The other subgroup, hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cCorynebacteria Bxe2x80x9d, which catabolises fatty acids much less so or not at all, contributes much less or even not at all to malodour formation. We also believe that it is possible to selectively inhibit the generation of odorous metabolites by Corynebacteria A.
The deodorants available on the market tend to be insufficiently effective and/or substantially reduce the numbers of all bacteria in the microflora indiscriminately. The present invention offers the opportunity to provide deodorant products which for many females will substantially reduce malodour formation while inhibiting only a minor portion of the microflora. For many males malodour formation can be substantially reduced or even largely eliminated by inactivating the Corynebacteria A.
Furthermore, we have found a range of perfume components capable of selectively inactivating Corynebacteria A, while leaving other bacteria, notably Corynebacteria B much less affected or even not notably affected at all. Significant deodorant action can be obtained by the action of these components singly or in combination.
Accordingly, the invention provides a cosmetic method for reducing or preventing body malodour by topically applying to human skin a composition comprising an active agent capable of inactivating body malodour-causing micro-organisms comprising corynebacteria, wherein the agent is a perfume component which is capable of inactivating the corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids.
The invention also provides the use of a perfume component to inactivate the corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids.
The invention further provides the use of a perfume composition, comprising at least 30% by weight of one or more perfume components capable of inactivating the corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids, to reduce body malodour.
The invention further provides the use of a deodorant product comprising a perfume component to reduce body malodour by inactivating the corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids.
The invention further provides a perfume composition comprising at least 30% by weight of one or more of the following perfume components; (Z)-3,4,5,6,6-pentmethylhept-3-en-2-one, mixtures of diethyl- and dimethyl-cyclohex-2-en-1-one, citronellol, 2-methyl-3-(4-(1-methylethyl)phenylpropanal, (2-(methytoxy)4-propyl-1-benzenol), diphenyltmethane, tetrahydrolinalol, 4-(4-methyl-3-pentenyt)cyclohex-3-ene-1-crbaldehyde, 3-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde, 3-(1,3-benzodioxol 5-5-yl2-methylprooanal, xcex1-ionone, xcex2-ionone, tricycdo[5.2.1.0,2,6]dec-4-en-8-yl ethanoate, 4-(4-hydroxy4-methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-enecarbaldehyde, 3-(4-hydroxy4-methylpentyl)-cyclohex-3-enecabaldehyde methyl iso-eugenol, 2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)cyclohexyl ethanoate, 4-(1,1-dimethylelhyi)cyclohexylethanoate, 4-methyl-2-(2-methylprop-1-enyl) tetrahydropyran, and a deodorant product comprising such a perfume composition.
The invention still further provides a method of producing a perfume composition which comprises (i) evaluating perfume components on the ability to inhibit fatty acid metabolism in corynebacteria, (ii) selecting perfume components on the ability to sub-lethally inhibit fatty acid metabolism in corynebacteria, and (iii) mixing together two or more of said selected perfume components, optionally with other perfume components.
The term xe2x80x9cperfume componentxe2x80x9d is used herein to represent a material which is added to a perfume to contribute to the olfactive properties of the perfume. A perfume component can be acceptably employed to provide odour contributions to the overall hedonic performance of products. Typically, a perfume component will be generally recognised as possessing odours in its own right, will be relatively volatile and often has molecular weight within the range 100 to 300. Typical materials which are perfume components are described in xe2x80x9cPerfume and Flavour Chemicalsxe2x80x9d, Volumes I and II (Steffan Arctander, 1969). A perfume composition will contain a number of individual perfume components, and optionally a suitable diluent The concentration of perfume components referred to herein is relative to the total concentration of perfume components present in the composition, ie excludes any diluent
The perfume components used in the present invention are capable of inactivating Corynebacteria, preferably selectively inactivating Corynebacteria A. By inactivate is meant any sub-lethal effect resulting in a reduction or elimination of the production of odoriferous metabolites, eg by modification of bacterial metabolism, such as fatty acid metabolism. The sub-lethal effect of a perfume component preferably occurs at concentrations below its minimum inhibitory concentration, determined as described in Example 2 below.
In particular, by sub-lethal is meant a significant inhibition of metabolism, e.g. pentadecanoic acid utilisation (at least 60% inhibition), preferably without concomitant reductions in cell viability (not more than 1 log10 CFU/ml reduction) and glucose utilisation (not more than 10% reduction).
The perfume components used in the present invention may be incorporated into deodorant products which include, but are not limited to, body deodorants and antiperspirants including roll ons, gel products, stick deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, soap shower gets, talcum powder, hand cream, skin conditioners, sunscreen, sun tan; lotion, skin and hair conditioners.
The perfume components may also be usefully employed for deodorant properties by incorporation into other products, for example, in laundry and household products such as rinse conditioners, household cleaners and detergent cleaners. The perfume components can be incorporated into textiles themselves during their production using techniques known in the art, to provide deodorant protection.
It is postulated that the preferred selective inhibition of Corynebacteria A is achieved by inhibiting the metabolic pathways of the Corynebacteria A which leads to a reduction in the production of malodorous metabolites. The inhibition of the metabolic pathway of Corynebacteria A is more important than the inhibition of the metabolic pathway of Corynebacteria B, as only the Corynebacteria A are capable of producing malodorous products.
In a preferred method according to the invention, perfume components which selectively inhibit the metabolic pathway of only those corynebacteria capable of catabolising fatty acids are used, by which is meant inactivating Corynebacteria A to a significantly higher degree than Corynebacteria B. Preferably, it means inactivating Corynebacteria A to a significantly higher degree than the majority, preferably at least 75%, more preferably at least 90% of bacteria, other than Corynebacteria A constituting the skin microflora.:
The levels of perfume materials used in a skin product may lead to general bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. A skilled person responsible for formulating a finished product will be able to adjust the level to produce the desired effect in the final product.
The perfume components employed in the present invention are more active with Corynebacteria A than with other bacteria constituting the axillary microflora, including Corynebacteria B, when considering the selective inhibition of the metabolic pathway of the bacteria, particularly in respect of fatty acid metabolism.
The active perfume components preferably selectively inhibit the metabolic pathway of Corynebacteria A, leading to a reduction of malodorous compounds, producing a deodorant effect in consumer products. In a preferred method according to the invention, an Odour Reduction Value, measured as described in Example 4, of at least 10%, more preferably at least 30%,and particularly at least 50% is obtained. The active components may be mixed with other perfume components to deliver perfumes or perfume compositions with the desired deodorant and hedonistic properties. To deliver high deodorant effects the active components preferably comprise 30% or more of the total perfume formulation by weight, more preferably at least 40% and particularly at least 60%. A deodorant product preferably comprises at least 0.05% to 4%, more preferably 0.1% to 2% by weight of the active perfume components. Preferred actives include the following perfume components.
(Z)-3,4,5,6,6-pentamethylhept-3-en-2-one (Acetyl di iso amylene)
Mixture of diethyl- and dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (Azarbre)
Citronellol
2-methyl-3-(4-(1-methylethyl)phenyl)propanal (Cyclamen aldehyde)
(2-(methyloxy)4-propyl-1-benzenol) (Dihydroeugenol)
Diphenylmethane
Tetrahydrolinalol
4-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde (Empetaal)
3-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)cyclohex-3-ene-1-carbaldehyde (Empetaal)
3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal (Helional)
xcex1- and xcex2-lonone and mixtures thereof (lonone)
5 tricyclo[5.2.1.0 2,6]dec4-en-8-yl ethanoate (Jasmacylene),
4-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)cyclohex-3-enecarbaldehyde (Lyral)
3-(4-hydroxy-4-melhyloentyl)cyclohex-3-enecarbaldehyde (Lyral)
Methyl iso-eugenol
2-(1,1-dimethylethyl)cyclohexyl ethanoate (Ortholate)
4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)cyclohexyl ethancztc (Ortholate)
4 Methyl-2-(2-methylprop-1-enyl)tetrahydropyran (Rose oxide)
A perfume composition for use in the present invention preferably comprises at least 5, more preferably at least 10, and particularly at least 15 of the above perfume components.